thanks salsero, i didn't use a light tent. i 'm simple when it comes to lighting. less is more (mies van derohe). one key point, i tilted the flash towards the lens, causing a little darkening in the background (falloff) and a reflector in the front to 'kick back' light into the chawan. i used a single small hexagon shaped soft box with a small vivitar 283 flash within it. iso 100 f/8 at 1/125th second. canon 10d camera w/ nikkor 55/3.5 micro lens. lens has a nikon AI to Canon EF mount adapter .

Very nice! One of the objections I have to American potters creating teawares for "tea ceremony," is that they don't seem to understand that the foot must be easy to grasp. I have two gorgeous "chawan" that I would never use traditionally, because I'm not confident I could pour water from the bowl and still maintain a good and safe grip on it. (Not that I "object," exactly. But it is nice to see these things produced by people who understand the function. )

GeekgirlUnveiled wrote:Very nice! One of the objections I have to American potters creating teawares for "tea ceremony," is that they don't seem to understand that the foot must be easy to grasp. I have two gorgeous "chawan" that I would never use traditionally, because I'm not confident I could pour water from the bowl and still maintain a good and safe grip on it. (Not that I "object," exactly. But it is nice to see these things produced by people who understand the function. )

Yes, too often it seems domestic artisan teaware is art over function, it should be symbiotic. I have seen so many pieces that just struck me as, no way would I drink out of that, it belongs on a shelf, not to be used because the function aspect was naively neglected ... or obviously misunderstood, or at the very least, purpsely minimized.

Chip wrote: it belongs on a shelf, not to be used because the function aspect was naively neglected ... or obviously misunderstood, or at the very least, purpsely minimized.

Had a teapot one time with a beautiful, long curving spout. It was a real stunner. You couldn't use the dang thing though, because that long narrow spout, when you poured, it made this long unpredictable arching jet stream that you had to aim for the cup, and just hope you were lucky. Huge mess. Definitely form over function.

yes geekgurl. i hear u on the koudai (footring). although i have seen many koudai, some inverted being used in 'expert' temae. cool actually. but a 'good' koudai makes it all easier and drop free. agreed !

for a tea novice like me all the better to make functional chadogu. less stress ! HEHE !